Bread-slicer.



No. 756,413. BATENTED APR. 5, 1904.

BREAD SLIGER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1903. no MODEL. 2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

Iiillm MilIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII =EEfifiiiii"""'""""iiiiiiiiiiiiiiifimlmlmmml k llll UNTTED STATES VPatented April 5, 1904.

GUSTAF ROOT, OF TlLLY FOSTER, NEW YORK.

BREAD-SLICER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '7 56,413, dated April5, 1904.

Application filed September 1, 1903. Serial No. 171,538. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF RooT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tilly Foster, in the county of Putnam and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bread-Slicers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to the type of cutting apparatus designed mostespecially for slicing bread when it is desired to have the slicesuniform, even in texture, smooth, and the cellular structure unbroken.

The invention provides a machine of such construction as will enable thework to be performed rapidly, effectively, and in a satisfactory mannerand which will admit of the thickness of the slices to be out beingvaried at will.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a side view of a machine embodying the essential features of theinven tion. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 isa front view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the intermediateportion of the cutter-lever, the rotary cutter, the gage, thepressure-plate, and the means for imparting a rotary movement to thecutter as the cutter-lever is moved downward,-

as in the act of cutting the slice, Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of thecutter-lever, cutter, and steadying means about on the line X X of Fig.4:, showing the parts on a larger scale. Fig. 6 is a detail View, on alarger scale, of the end of the shaft for transmitting motion to thecutter, showing the pinion and clutch.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The platform 1 is mounted upon sills or bars- 2, which are extended atone end and provided with clamps 3 for securance of the machine to atable, stand, or analogous support 4:. A delivery-opening 5 is formed inthe platform 1 for the escape of the slices as they are cut from theloaf. The opening 5 is inclined transversely, as shown most clearly inFig. 2, so as not to obstruct the free delivery of the slices, yetprovide a clearance-way. A post 6 is located at one side of theplatform, and its upper end is deflected or inclined to the vertical, asindicated at 7, so as to give the proper set to the cutter-lever 8,which is pivoted at one end thereto. A curved brace 9 is secured at oneend to a lug of the deflected end portion of the post 6, and itsopposite end is secured to the upper end of a curved rack-bar 10, thelower end of which is fastened to the platform 1 in any substantial way.The rack-bar 10 is formed on the arc of a circle whose center coincideswith the pivot of the cutter-lever 8. A brace 11 is secured at its upperend to the parts 9 and 10 at their points of juncture and is attached atits lower end to a bar or sill 2, said brace being inclined to the planeof the parts 9 and 10, so as to hold them in proper position.

Uprights 12 project vertically from the platform 1 and are firmlyconnected at their lower ends thereto and support a hopper, chute, orbox 3, which is longitudinally inclined to the horizontal, so as toadvance the loaf by gravitative force as each slice is cut. The uprights12 are preferably secured at their lower ends to a block 13, which isfastened to the platform 1 in any secure and rigid manner. The frontedge of the block 13, as well as a portion of the lower end of theuprights 12, is beveled to correspond to the inclined Wall of thedelivery-opening 5, so as not to obstruct the passage of the slices intheir discharge from the machine.

The hopper, chute, or box 3 comprises a side wall 16' is adapted to besecured in the adjusted position by any determinate means, and, asshown, a rod 17 is connected to the upper rear end of the bottom 14, andthe side 16 is provided with an iron 18, slidable upon the rod 17 andprovided with a clamp-screw 19 to bear against the rod 17 and hold theside wall 16 in the desired position. The pressureplate 20 is pivotallyconnected to thehopper or box and is arranged in such a manner as tomove with the cutter-lever 8 to alternately release and clamp the, loaf.To prevent injurious pressure of the pressure-plate upon the loaf, aspring 21 forms a part of the connection between said pressure-plate andcutterlever, said spring being connected at one end to thepressure-plate and at its opposite end to an arm 22, having adjustableconnection at its lower end with the cutter-lever by means of a bolt orfastening 23, passed through an opening in the lever 8 and through aslot 24 of the arm 22. Strips 25 are secured to the upper side of thepressure-plate 20 and are extended beyond a longitudinal edge thereofand are pivotally connected to the upper ends of corresponding strips26, secured to the outer side of the stationary wall 15 of the hopper.The spring 21 is of the flat type and is curved or bowed, so as to yieldupon contact of the pressure-plate with the loaf without preventingcontinued downward movement of the cutter-lever at its handle end. Thehopper, chute, or box 3 inclines both longitudinally and transversely,so as to cause the loaf placed therein to rest and bear against thestationary wall 15. A follower 27 is freely movable within the hopper tohelp feed the bread as the slices are cut. This follower 27 may be ofany construction and, as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is hollowand is provided with a handle or grip 28 for convenience of operation.

The cutter-lever 8 is secured to the post 6 by any type ofpivot-fastening 29 and is provided at its opposite end with a grip 30,which constitutes a handle. by the cutter-lever and is adapted toproject across the hopper and limit the forward movement of the loafplaced therein to be cut up into slices. The gage 31 consists of a lightplate stiffened and strengthened by a reinforcing-bar '32, which isextended at one end and bent at a right angle and provided with alateral stem 33 to enter a socket 34, provided at one'end of a plate 35,adjustably connected to the cutter-lever 8 by means of the fastening 23,employed for adjustably connecting the arm 22 thereto. A clamp-screw 36is threaded into a side of the socket 34 and is adapted to bear at itsinner end against the stem 33 and secure the latter and the gage in anadjusted position. The gage inclines in conformity to the inclination ofthe cutterlever and moves with the latter, so as to direct the slicewhen completely severed from the loaf to the delivery-opening 5. Thecut- A gage 31 is carried ter 37 consists of a circular blade ordisk andis pivotally connected to the cutter-lever by means of thepivot-fastening 38, and its edge is serrated, scalloped, or waved, so asto insure and facilitate smooth severance of the slices from the loaf.Positive rotary movement is imparted to the cutter 37 upon the descentof the cutter-lever at its free end, and

- this result is effected by means of the shaft 39,

mounted in bearings of the cutter-lever and provided at opposite endswith pinions 40 and 41, which mesh with, respectively, teeth of therack-bar 10 and cutter 37 The teeth of the cutter 37 may be of anyformation and are concentric with the pivot connection 38 and preferablyformed by openings or depressions 42 of the said cutter 37 ,so as not toofier or present any projecting parts to interfere with the operation ofthe cutter. A ratchet-clutch 43 is interposed between the shaft 39 andthe pinion 40 to admit of return of the cutter-lever to a normalposition without imparting any rotary movement to the cutter 37. Themovable member 44 of the ratchet-clutch may be secured to the shaft 39in any accustomed manner, so as to turn therewith, yet have a freelongitudinal play to admit of the ratchet-teeth of the clutch membersriding upon one another during the return movement of the cutter-leverto an initial position. A spring 45, mounted upon the shaft 39, normallyexerts a pressure upon the movable clutch member 44 to hold its teeth inengagement with the teeth of the pinion 40, so as to insure rotation ofthe cutter 37 when the lever 8 is moved to effect a slicing of the breador other material to be cut into pieces of determinate size.

The loaf of bread or other material to be sliced is placed within thehopper, chute, or box 3, the movable side wall 16 being shifted, so asto snugly receive the loaf between the walls 15 and 16. The gage 31 isadjusted so that the space between it and the plane of movement of thecutter 37 correspondsto the thickness of the slice to be cut. Uponpressing downward upon the free end of the cutterlever 8 the cutter 37is advanced and is simultaneously rotated through the instrumentality ofthe shaft 39 and cooperating gearing 10 and 40 and 41 and 42, and theslice when severed from the loaf is received upon the gage 31 anddirected thereby to the delivery-opening 5, through which it passes intoa receptacle (not shown) or other contrivance determined upon to receivethe slices. As the free end of the cutter-lever is depressed thepressure plate 20 is moved downward until it comes in contact with theloaf, thereby holding the same securely until the slice is cuttherefrom, the spring 21 providing for a continued movement of thecutter-lever after the pressure-blade has been arrested in its movementby contact with the loaf. After the slice has been cut the spring 21,regaining itself, gives an initial movement to the cutterlever in itsreturn stroke, the loaf being held from slipping until the cutter-leveris nearly at the limit of its return stroke and the gage 31 is in properposition to limit the feed or advance of the loaf to bring the nextslice in position to be out.

By having the arm 22 adjustably connected with the cutter-leverprovision is had for adjustably connecting the pressure-plates to thecutter-lever to allow for difierent sizes of loaves. The cutter-lever 8is widened intermediate of its ends, as shown at 46, and this widenedportion is tapered in thickness to a feather-edge, which bears againstthe outer side of the cutter 37, so as to prevent injurious contact ofthe slice cut from the loaf with the lower edge of the cutter-lever,which would result if a projecting part was provided. The shaft 39,spring 45, and pinion are confined between a cutter 37 and the part ofthe cutter-lever, so as not to come in contact with the slice. Thecutter 37 is adjusted and steadied with reference to the cutter-lever 8by means of set-screws 47, which are threaded into openings of thecutter-lever and are adapted to bear at their inner ends against thecutter 37, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Incombination, a hopper, a movable cutter, a pressure-plate, and ayielding connection between the pressure-plate and cutter to admit of acontinued movement of the cutter after the pressure-plate has beenarrested by contact with the material to be sliced, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination, a hopper, a movable cutter, a pressure-plate, and acurved spring serving to connect the pressure-plate with the cutter,substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a hopper, a movable cutter, a pressure-plate, an armadjustably connected with the cutter, and a spring connecting said armwith the pressure-plate, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, means for supporting the material to be sliced, arotary cutter having a circular seriesof radial slots, a lever havingthe rotary cutter journaled thereto, a curved rack-bar, a shaftjournaled to said lever, a toothed pinion carried by the shaft andengaging the slots in the rotary cutter, gearing between said shaft andrack-bar, and a ratchetclutch mounted upon said shaft and arranged toinsure rotation of the cutter when advanced and to prevent'rotarymovement being imparted to said cutter when returning to a normalposition, substantially as specified.

5. In combination, means for supporting the material to be sliced, alever having a portion intermediate of its ends widened and tapered inthickness to a feather-edge, a cutter journaled to the lever oppositethe widened portion and having the tapered edge of the latter bearingagainst the outer side thereof, and means for imparting rotary motion tothe cutter on the downstroke of the lever, said means including a partconfined between the rotary cutter and a portion of the lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAF ROOT. [L. s

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER M. DYKEMAN, ABRAM J. MILLER.

